ICC chief expects day-night tests within two years

Day-night test cricket should become a reality within two years, International Cricket Council (ICC) president David Morgan said on Wednesday.

Morgan, who will step down next July, believes the five-day format he described as the pinnacle of the cricket, must break with tradition to avoid dwindling attendances.  

While this year's Ashes series in England was a sell-out, other leading test nations, including new world number ones India, struggle to fill stadiums for five-day matches.

"If you look at a country like Australia with large stadia and hot conditions, Australia is made for day-night test matches and I know the Australia Board are very keen," Morgan told reporters at a snowy Oval ground in London.

"If you had asked me 18 months ago I wouldn''t have been overly enthusiastic. I would have thought of the records and the tradition, the Bradmans, the Shane Warnes, the Gavaskar records.

"But if you think the way it has changed over 130 years, I see very good reasons for moving to day-night cricket. 

"It will bring crowds out in the way that they are unable to do in the working day."

Morgan gave no specific timetable but said: "I'd be surprised if we don't see day-night test cricket within the next two years -- surprised and disappointed."  

His enthusiasm for night cricket stopped at the use of the coloured clothing which is part of 50-over cricket and the spectacularly successful Twenty20 game.

"If we used a white ball we would have to have coloured clothing and that is what we hope to avoid," said Morgan, adding that work was being done on a pink ball that could possibly be used in normal conditions and under lights.

Morgan was aware test cricket needed powerhouse India fully on board to thrive and said their rise to the top of the ICC rankings signalled a shift in focus within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

India are scheduled to play just two tests, against Bangladesh in January, in the next eight months but Morgan said talks were afoot to play South Africa in a two-test series early next year. 

"I do believe the efforts of the BCCI to re-arrange the programme so that there might be a two-test series, this is an interesting shift by the BCCI," Morgan said.